Kim Yong-hyun's Side: "Martial Law Was Not Reported to the Prime Minister in Advance but Discussed at the Cabinet Meeting Before the President's Attendance"

"There was no prior report to the State Council before one acting authority"

Yonhap News

The legal team of former Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun stated on the 26th that “there was no prior discussion of martial law with Prime Minister Han Deok-soo (before the Cabinet meeting).”

Kim’s legal team said, “There seems to be a misunderstanding in the press conference that martial law was reported in advance to the Prime Minister and then proposed to the President.” The legal team explained, “It means that just before the President attended the Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister was informed about martial law, and after going through the Prime Minister, the President came in to propose and deliberate on it.”

This position by the legal team is interpreted as an effort to clarify reports that martial law was “reported in advance to the Prime Minister.” Acting Prime Minister Han immediately announced legal action, calling it “false information.”

Meanwhile, on the same day, Kim’s legal team held a press conference at the Korea Conference Center in Seocho-gu, revealing that former Minister Kim drafted the emergency martial law proclamation, and President Yoon Seok-youl instructed the deletion of the “ban on public movement” clause during his review.

They also stated that the charges of rebellion against President Yoon and former Minister Kim do not hold. The legal team emphasized, “The President declared martial law in accordance with the Constitution and laws, and its lifting was also lawfully done upon the request of the National Assembly.”